Author's dedication

C. K. Ghose

1. Abject

Chinmoy, when I become a victim to an abject mood, what should I do for a quick relief?

Chinmoy:

Madal, when you are suffering from spiritless boredom, just go and mix with your spiritual friends who are bubbling with energy. They will immediately cure you.

2. Abnegation

Chinmoy, is it necessary for me to live a life of abnegation?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, you don't have to live a life of self-denial. What you should do is to live a life of vital purification until you grow into a life of self-realisation and God-manifestation.

3. Abominate

Chinmoy, whom to abominate and what to abominate?

Chinmoy:

Madal, whom to hate? None. What to hate? Doubt — today, tomorrow and always.

4. Abort

Chinmoy, some of your close disciples want to open up an Ashram for you. Needless to say, their desire is extremely sincere. How is it that their desire is aborted?

Chinmoy:

Madal, their desire fails because God's chosen Hour for us to open up an Ashram has not yet struck.

5. Abrogate

Chinmoy, is there any way I can abrogate my agreement with Fate?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, you can cancel your agreement with fate if you consciously feel that you are of God and for God.

6. Abscond

Chinmoy, in the spiritual life can one abscond from the home of doubt?

Chinmoy:

Madal, to try to go away secretly and suddenly from the home of doubt is impossible. Instead of running away secretly, one should break down the house of doubt with one's strong faith in God.

7. Acme

Chinmoy, where does the acme of perfection lie?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the highest point of perfection lies in self-giving and God-manifesting.

8. Acrimonious

Chinmoy, it seems that the scientist and the spiritualist enjoy a continual acrimonious argument over the existence or non-existence of God. Why do they do so?

Chinmoy:

Alas, Madal, I know, I know; both the scientist and the spiritualist enjoy bitter arguments. They are in habit of doing so because they both feel that they alone are right. I must add that according to the inner development of these two rivals, each one is right. Let us not worry, the real seeker in the scientist will one day come forward and then it will not be difficult for the scientist to shake hands with the spiritualist.

9. Acumen

Chinmoy, are you not proud of your acumen?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, I am not proud of my keen insight. I am proud only of God's constant Light and Vision which He lends to me.

10. Adamant

Chinmoy, what makes you so adamant at times in your decisions with regard to your spiritual children?

Chinmoy:

Madal, what makes me absolutely firm is my inseparable oneness with divinity's Light. And this Light will never allow me or my disciples to yield to the love of ignorance-night.

11. Adjudicate

Chinmoy, when there is a sad dispute between outer doubt and inner faith, who can adjudicate?

Chinmoy:

Madal, when your doubt and your faith are in dispute, the absolutely sincere aspirant in you must come forward to settle the dispute.

12. Aesthetic.

Chinmoy, is it absolutely necessary for a seeker to develop an aesthetic sense?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, a spiritual person has to be sensitive to beauty. His aspiring life undoubtedly needs both inner and outer beauty.

13. Affinity

Chinmoy, the two divine qualities, love and devotion, do they have an affinity for each other?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, love and devotion have a great mutual attraction and feeling for each other. Love fulfils devotion with its wisdom. Devotion fulfils love with its delight.

14. Affront

Chinmoy, does God feel it as an affront when someone speaks ill of Him?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, God does not feel it as an insult when someone speaks ill of Him. God's Mind is all concern for man. His Heart is all compassion for man. You are following the spiritual life. Just wait a few years. You yourself will not feel insulted if someone speaks ill of you.

15. Alacrity

Chinmoy, dark depression has been calling me for the last few months. My heavy mind does not allow me to achieve anything with alacrity. I need your advice badly.

Chinmoy:

Madal, just think that you are good, just feel that you are great, just realise that you are divine. Lo, the train of depression has gone. Lo, the plane of illumination is come. God now gives you a new name: cheerful quickness and dynamism.

16. Altruism

Chinmoy, is it at all possible for any human being to have a genuine sense of altruism in this power-hungry world?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is quite possible. When we show a noble concern for others and treasure unselfishness, we grow into the Light of Divinity. Let us try. We all will, without fail, succeed.

17. Ameliorate

Chinmoy, how can one most effectively ameliorate the conditions of those who are suffering from inner poverty?

Chinmoy:

Madal, one can most effectively relieve their inner poverty by giving them inner strength and outer encouragement.

18. Anathema

Chinmoy, I am sure no disciple of yours drinks, for it is anathema to you.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are right. No true disciple of mine will ever drink. It is not at all true that drinking is despised by me. But I do feel that drink is extremely harmful to the body. That is why my disciples abstain from drinking.

19. Anomaly

Chinmoy, you often move around with your Indian shorts and Indian robes. What do your disciples think of you? Are you not an anomaly in New York city?

Chinmoy:

Madal, strangely enough I myself have asked them the same question. They have said to me that, although I deviate from the usual and I am not like them in my outer way of life, they like my cute Indianism, for they love my Indian heart.

20. Antipathy

Chinmoy. do you have any disciples whose antipathy for you is great?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, unfortunately there are quite a few. I tell you, Madal, that either their dislike of me will take them away from my boat or, seated in my boat, they will discover and realise that I am after all not such a bad boatman.

21. Antithesis

Chinmoy, what is the antithesis of human failure?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the opposite of human failure is divine success and you can get this divine success constantly if you lead a life of self-giving.

22. Apathy

Chinmoy, your apathy towards your undeveloped disciples at times borders on cruelty.

Chinmoy:

Madal, it seems that your mind and your heart are not functioning together. It is your own mind's ignorant wisdom that accuses me of lack of feeling for my so-called undeveloped disciples.

23. Apposite

Chinmoy, for a disciple what is the most apposite way of speaking to his Guru?

Chinmoy:

Madal, for a disciple the most appropriate way of speaking to his Guru is through loving oneness and never through fear.

24. Apprise

Chinmoy, when a disciple of yours is about to die, are you apprised by the soul of this in advance?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, I am informed well in advance. As a matter of fact, I know long before the fatal hour strikes. Without the express sanction of the Supreme and my fully conscious awareness of the incident, no disciple-soul of mine can ever leave the body.

25. Aspersion

Chinmoy, among your disciples, is there anyone who has cast aspersions on you when he is speaking to others about you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I don't think that any of them would slander me. First of all, my disciples are not so unkind. And then I am also not as bad as you think.

26. Assiduous

Chinmoy, I think in India you were an assiduous reader and here in America you are anything but that.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are absolutely right. In India I was a constant and persistent book-reader. Needless to say, my kind-hearted God made me that. Now the same kind-hearted God has made me, here in the West, a constant and persistent mind-reader. The book-reader in me has made a total and unconditional surrender to the mind-reader in me.

27. Assuage

Chinmoy, how can I assuage my inner suffering?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can lessen and soothe your inner suffering by feeling that God thinks of you, God cares for you and God loves you,

28. Auspicious

Chinmoy, what is the most auspicious day for a disciple? What is the most auspicious day for the Master?

Chinmoy:
Madal, the most lucky, promising and fulfilling day for the disciple is when the Master accepts him as his very own. And the most lucky, promising and fulfilling day for the Master is when he offers God-Realisation to the disciple.

29. Autonomous

Chinmoy, why don't you allow your Centres to be autonomous?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you want my disciples in our Centres to be self-governing? You want them to be free from my control? For God's sake, my dear Madal, you should know that it is they who do not want to govern themselves and it is they who come to realise the fact that the Supreme in me will be able to guide them most effectively and successfully. Finally, it is they who, unlike you, feel that they and I are inseparably one. So the question of self-government on their part does not arise at all. Madal, thank you for this grand question.

30. Banal

Chinmoy, have you ever bored your audiences with banal talks?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I am sure I have done it quite a few times, if not each time I give a talk at a university and other places. But, thanks to the unconditional kindness and forgiveness of my audience, nobody — not even once — has told me that my talk was uninspiring, commonplace and ordinary.

31. Bellicose

Chinmoy, shall we punish or forgive those political leaders whose bellicose utterances are destroying the world?

Chinmoy:

Madal, unfortunately, we have neither the power to punish nor the power to forgive their warlike and hostile utterances. But we have ample power to pray to God to change their nature.

32. Benign

Chinmoy, do you always greet your disciples with a benign smile?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I try always to greet my disciples with a gracious and benevolent smile. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I fail miserably.

33. Bestial

Chinmoy, in the past some Indian spiritual Masters were almost bestial. I simply cannot imagine how they could behave in that way towards their spiritual children. Please tell me why they were like that.

Chinmoy:

Madal, unfortunately even now there are many Eastern and Western spiritual Masters who are extremely cruel and violent to their children. It is, as you said, incredible. However, the reason is very simple. These spiritual Masters do not care for the transformation of their own nature at all. A Yogi without the transformation of his outer nature will be able to manifest only very little of his inner divinity on earth.

34. Bilk

Chinmoy, among your disciples is there anybody who consciously bilks you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, perhaps not. If anybody deceives me consciously and deliberately, then God will not shower joy, concern and pride on him.

35. Blatant

Chinmoy, is God not sick of our constant, blatant ignorance?

Chinmoy:

Madal, no He is not. He sincerely feels that it is His duty to free us from clear and obvious ignorance. Our sincere heart tells us that we are hopeless. God's compassionate Heart tells Him that we are helpless.

36. Braggadocio

Chinmoy, among your disciples is there anyone who derives immense pleasure from braggadocio?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, I have not one, but quite a few disciples who enjoy empty boasting. But I can't blame them in the least, for, after all, as the saying goes, "like spiritual father, like spiritual children".

37. Cacophony

Chinmoy, no matter what type of music I hear, it sounds to me like a cacophony.

Chinmoy:

Madal, if music sounds a harmful noise to you, then you must soulfully pray to God to give you an ear for music.

38. Cajole

Chinmoy, when someone cajoles you to do something, do you like it?

Chinmoy:

Madal, when someone begs and teases me, I do like it; nay, I simply love it, far beyond your imagination.

39. Candour

Chinmoy, do you appreciate the candour of your disciples when they tell you all about their vital difficulties and weaknesses?

Chinmoy:

Madal, not only do I appreciate them, but I simply adore their frankness. Their sincerity is their safeguard. That is the only way they can empty themselves and I can fill them with purity's Light and divinity's Pride.

40. Cant

Chinmoy, I have a professor friend. Whenever he talks I feel that his utterances are full of cant. What shall I do with him?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if you know that your professor friend is full of insincerity and his meaningless utterances are creating problems for you, then you should pray to God either to change your professor friend's nature or to free your life from his friendship.

41. Caprice

Chinmoy, among your friends and acquaintances does anybody think that it was just a caprice that took you away from the Eastern shore to live on the Western shore?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if anybody thinks that it was a sheer whim, an abrupt and unmotivated decision and not an express command from my Inner Pilot, the Supreme, then I am afraid my sweet and devoted Western spiritual children, not to speak of my fanatic disciples, will without fail, sue that person in the Supreme Court.

42. Castigate

Chinmoy, in the spiritual life, how many things must we castigate?

Chinmoy:

Madal, in the spiritual life, there are only two things we must severely criticise: self-doubt and self-indulgence.

43. Cerebration

Chinmoy, there was a time when you spent or wasted much time in athletics. Did you then care for cerebration at all?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I think I did. My mind was never a stranger to serious thinking. My spiritual life, my literary life and my athletic life ran triumphantly if not always perfectly.

44. Chagrin

Chinmoy, my chagrin becomes most intense when I see that all my friends have surpassed me in meditation.

Chinmoy:

Madal, your embarrassment is totally unnecessary. Each disciple has to progress at his own speed.

45. Charlatan

Chinmoy, I need not tell you that there are many gurus who are charlatans of the first water. How can we get rid of them?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God does not want you to get rid of the spiritual masters who are frauds and fakes. God wants you only to remain seated at the feet of the genuine spiritual teacher and be protected, guided and illumined by him.

46. Chicanery

Chinmoy, I am curious to know from you why a great spiritual Master like Sri Krishna had to display a certain amount of chicanery.

Chinmoy:

Madal, may God bless your curiosity since I can't. First of all, what you call Sri Krishna's trickery, I call an unavoidable necessity. Secondly, the human in us cannot judge the divine Sri Krishna. There was an ultimate and divine purpose behind everything he said and did. The divine in us will gladly justify him whom you call Krishna the trickster.

47. Circumspect

Chinmoy, how can I be more circumspect in my spiritual life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can be more cautious in your spiritual life if each action of yours becomes a conscious consecration to God's Will.

48. Coadjutor

Chinmoy, who is my second-best coadjutor in my spiritual life? The first coadjutor is undoubtedly the Guru.

Chinmoy:

Madal, the second best helper without fail is the second personal pronoun.

49. Cogitate

Chinmoy, I cogitate and cogitate, yet my problems are not being solved. Please tell me the reason.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you think hard and reflect sincerely, yet your problems don't go away. Such being the case, I advise you to wait and see. God's Grace will, before long, descend on your devoted head and aspiring heart.

50. Cognomen

Chinmoy, I have been thinking of asking you a most significant, yet silly question. Please tell me, what is God's cognomen?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God's surname is Compassion, His middle name is Justice. When His Justice fails, His Compassion works. When His Compassion fails, His Justice works. He uses His Justice first to deal with a non-aspirant and then, if necessity demands, He uses His Compassion. He uses His Compassion first to deal with an aspirant and then, if necessity demands, He uses His Justice.

51. Compunction

Chinmoy, please tell me frankly if your heart is full of compunction when you see that some disciple of yours has done something wrong, serious and dangerous?

Chinmoy:

Madal, whenever any disciple of mine does something unthinkably wrong I do not show him pity. What I usually do in that case is identify myself with him with my utmost concern and give him life-saving divine warnings so that he does not repeat his fatal misdeeds.

52. Concomitant

Chinmoy, I want to be admired by all, especially by my friends. Is it possible for me to be admired by all without any concomitant responsibility to them?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, it is possible. But if you do not shoulder the accompanying responsibility, which is your devoted concern for others, then your joy can never be complete and perfect.

53. Congenital

Chinmoy, do you have any congenital doubters in your spiritual family?

Chinmoy:

Madal, thank God, I do not have any disciple who is a born doubter. Today my disciples may have a wee doubt, tomorrow they will have none, and the day after tomorrow what they will have is faith, implicit faith, infinite faith.

54. Conjecture

Chinmoy, do you often make a decision on the basis of conjecture?

Chinmoy:

Madal, no, I do not make a decision based on my opinion or on others' opinion. I make a decision, commanded and guided by God's Will.

55. Consternation

Chinmoy, do you agree with me when I say that there is not even one newspaper which does not exploit facts and also create unnecessary consternation in the public mind?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I fully agree with you. I wish you would write to all the editors of the newspapers and urge them not to create terror in our existence.

56. Contemporary

Chinmoy, my contemporaries do not like me. What shall I do with my life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, don't worry, if people of your own age do not like you, then mix with children. If children also don't like you, then try to mix only with sincere seekers who are God's chosen children. They will not only like you but love you.

57. Contumely

Chinmoy, I have heard that hippies in America speak of everyone and everything with great contumely. Is it true?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I do not really know. Even if they speak of everyone and everything with great contempt and scorn, and even if they have other undivine qualities, God's boundless Compassion will forgive them and lead them to the right path eventually.

58. Convivial

Chinmoy, is it necessary for a truly spiritual person to be convivial?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, it really is necessary for a truly spiritual man to be sociable, otherwise he will not be able to offer his inner wealth most satisfactorily to mankind.

59. Convolution

Chinmoy, I know that the life of an insincere and unaspiring man is full of pointless and meaningless convolutions. Please tell me about the life of a sincere and aspiring man.

Chinmoy:

Madal, the life of a sincere and aspiring man is freed from these turns and windings. He walks along the sunlit path and reaches unmistakably the supreme Goal.

60. Copious

Chinmoy, I need and want love from you in copious mean.

Chinmoy:

Madal, if you need and want love from me in large quantities, then think infinitely more of God than of your undivine self.

61. Corpulent

Chinmoy, some of the Indian spiritual masters are corpulent. Why are they like that?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I cannot possibly answer that question. They are too _fat_; perhaps they eat too much. God alone knows how sincerely and devotedly I am trying not to be in their group.

62. Countenance

Chinmoy, I feel that God is always sad because human beings are not living a divine life. What can we do to brighten up his countenance?

Chinmoy:

Madal, to brighten up God's face we must love one another infinitely more than we do now.

63. Covert

Chinmoy, is there any covert intention in God's Plan why all human beings without exception are imperfect?

Chinmoy:

Madal, there is no secret intention on His part. We human beings do not continuously and consciously try to perfect our outer nature. That is why we remain so imperfect.

64. Daunt

Chinmoy, do I have anything that can daunt you?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, your stupidity frightens and weakens me. Your impurity frightens me. Your lack of receptivity frightens me.

65. Deleterious

Chinmoy, what are the things that are deleterious to my aspiring self?

Chinmoy:

Madal, your lack of faith, lack of determination, lack of purity and lack of self-offering are harmful to your aspiring self.

66. Depraved

Chinmoy, do you have any disciple who is depraved?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you must know that God is not so unkind to me. He has not given me and will never give me, anyone who is incorrigibly evil. To be sure, God has not created anybody whose nature cannot be changed and who cannot be made into a perfect instrument of His manifestation on earth.

67. Derision

Chinmoy, very often humanity on the whole greets the spiritual masters with derision. Why?

Chinmoy:

O, Madal, I think humanity greets only the self-styled and unrealised spiritual masters with laughter and mockery and not the genuine spiritual masters. Again I must say that at times even the good and true spiritual masters are greeted with foul mockery and laughter. In such cases, I must say that humanity is not ready to accept their divine light. I feel extremely sorry both for the unaspiring humanity and for the self-giving spiritual masters.

68. Despot

Chinmoy, are you one of the spiritual masters who always act like a despot?

Chinmoy:

Madal, this question is too difficult for me to answer. My disciples are truly qualified to answer this question on my behalf. In secret they will tell you, "Yes, Sri Chinmoy is a dictator of the first water." In public they will tell you, "No, never; our Guru is all love and all compassion!"

69. Desultory

Chinmoy, can desultory efforts lead me to my highest destination?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, occasional and random efforts can never lead you to your destination. If your spiritual efforts are not sincere, regular, and constant, your Goal will always remain a far cry.

70. Discursive

Chinmoy, sometimes I notice that you tell things in a discursive manner. Why do you do that?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I deeply appreciate your observation and accusation. It is absolutely true that at times I do not stick to the point, but God is so kind and forgiving to me that He has given me quite a few disciples who love me in spite of my teeming incapacities in this field.

71. Dissonance

Chinmoy, no doubt, you are a musician. Unfortunately I cannot call you a good musician, for you have never sung a song or played a piece of music without making some serious error. Anyway, I want to ask you if dissonance bothers you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the pure and clear sincerity within me shakes hands with your proud assessment of the musician in me. I like and don't like discord and unharmonious effects in music. I like it because the child in me still likes restlessness and excitement. I don’t like it because the old, traditional, austere Indian Yogi in me finds it difficult to appreciate anything that creates restlessness and excitement.

72. Ductile

Chinmoy, it seems to me that at times it is good to be ductile. Do you agree with me?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I agree with you to some extent. If in any matter my opinion is totally wrong, certainly anyone can easily lead me to change my wrong opinion. But if I am not wrong, I shall not change my opinion just to please someone who at that time is completely wrong.

73. Ebullient

Chinmoy, please tell me how I can always remain ebullient?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can be always full of enthusiasm and dynamic energy if you can feel yourself to be an eternal partner of God. But be careful, for you have to be an active partner and not a sleeping partner.

74. Ecstatic

Chinmoy, during your group meditation at times I see some of your close disciples simply become ecstatic. Do they not become insane then?

Chinmoy:

Madal, absurd. How can they lose their brains when God's Light and Delight enter into their beings like a torrential rain. You must know that in order to appreciate others' Light and Delight one has to be at least spiritual.

75. Effervescent

Chinmoy, I am quite old. It seems that I have no energy left. How can I be the effervescent person I once was?

Chinmoy:

Madal, just mix with children. Just spend a few hours in the playground, you are bound to be lively and you will be bubbling with energy once again. You can also chant daily. That will help you much in becoming lively.

76. Effete

Chinmoy, of late I have been feeling that our whole society has become effete. What shall we do?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if you feel that our society is suffering from exhaustion and emptiness, then pray to, and meditate on, God the Energy, and command your outer sheath to take exercise daily for 15 minutes. You will feel fine.

77. Effrontery

Chinmoy, how many disciples do you have who have the effrontery to argue with you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God is extremely kind and compassionate to me. He has not given me one disciple who has the necessary boldness to argue with me. Needless to say, for that particular reason I am extremely proud of them.

78. Enamoured

Chinmoy, I am enamoured of physical beauty. You are enamoured of the soul's beauty. Please tell me if God is enamoured of anything in His creation?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God is extremely fond of man's divine awakening God is extremely fond of man's divine duty. God is extremely fond of man's soulful smile.

79. Enervate

Chinmoy, I must admit that you are a spiritual lion. Tell me one thing, what is the thing that you are doing wrong which enervates you after you have had a long meditation?

Chinmoy:

Madal, nothing actually weakens me before, during or after a long meditation. To me, meditation is all energy and all life. It is the wild resistance from the unlit vital of some of my disciples, and the opposition of the unaspiring earth consciousness that at times weaken me, my human body, and the human in me when I bring down light into their obscure, unaspiring and resisting natures.

80. Engender

Chinmoy, what is the thing that engenders fear of God in us, and how can we remove it?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the insincerity in our vital nature causes our fear of God. To remove it, we need surrendered faith in God in our outer life, and concentrated aspiration in our inner life.

81. Ennui

Chinmoy, why do I so often fall into ennui?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you so often fall into a state of boredom and melancholy because your aspiring heart makes you feel that your soul really does not want the fulfilment of your teeming desires, nay, not even one desire.

82. Embroil

Chinmoy, why am I so deeply embroiled in politics, knowing perfectly well that politics is a dirty business? You know, Chinmoy, I suffer much from my political career and activities.

Chinmoy:

Madal, if you really feel politics to be such, then you must involve yourself only in self-discovery. All your sufferings will come to an end. You will be happy and you will make others happy.

83. Ephemeral

Chinmoy, do you believe my splendid discovery that everything on earth is ephemeral?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I believe and again I don't believe. If a thing is of ignorance and for ignorance, then it is fleeting and short-lived, but if it is a thing of light and for light, then it is permanent and everlasting.

84. Equanimity

Chinmoy, is equanimity the last stage in the spiritual life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, no, evenness of mind is the first stage and self-discovery is the last stage in the spiritual life.

85. Esoteric

Chinmoy, what is the esoteric meaning of life? What is the esoteric meaning of death?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the hidden meaning of life is God's evolution. The hidden meaning of death is man's necessary experience at the present state of his consciousness.

86. Evanescent

Chinmoy, what is evanescent and what is not evanescent in the spiritual life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, in the spiritual life thought is a passing and fleeting thing and will-power is an everlasting thing.

87. Exiguous

Chinmoy, you work for hundreds and hundreds of seekers. Their aspiration is your salary. To me, this salary of yours is quite exiguous.

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is true that my salary is small and insufficient. But my love for my disciples always remains very great.

88. Explicate

Chinmoy, when you explicate a most difficult spiritual idea or concept, do your disciples offer you their deepest gratitude, or do they just remain silent taking everything for granted, since they are, after all, your children?

Chinmoy:

Dear Madal, even their silence itself is a sign of inner gratitude. But I wish to tell you that when I explain and unfold something difficult to them, at that time, I do not need, I do not even expect gratitude from them. What I expect from them is the application of my advice in their outer life.

89. Factitious

Chinmoy, is it possible for a movie star to avoid becoming factitious?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is quite possible for a movie star to avoid becoming artificial and false if she cares for a bit of spirituality.

90. Fallacious

Chinmoy, what can I do with a friend who feeds on fallacious arguments?

Chinmoy:

Madal, don't involve yourself with your friend's false arguments. Try to make friends only with those who are frank, straightforward and aspiring.

91. Fiasco

Chinmoy, will you not feel sorry if your Mission ends in a fiasco?

Chinmoy:

Madal, believe it or not, my Mission will not end in utter failure, for I know that my Mission is God's own Inspiration, my Mission is God's own Aspiration, my Mission is God's own Realisation, my Mission is God's own Revelation, my Mission is God's own Manifestation.

92. Foible

Chinmoy, please tell me what is the worst foible in my nature?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the worst weakness you have in your nature is your lack of self-trust and the best strength you have in your nature is your absolute sincerity.

93. Forensic

Chinmoy, you have delivered hundreds of speeches. Has your talk ever had a forensic quality?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal. my talks have never had a legal, debating quality. Since I am very clever and lucky, I do not allow unhealthy arguments and silly disputes. My talks offer peace and light, and my kind audiences receive sincerely, devotedly and graciously the peace and light that I offer to them.

94. Fortitude

Chinmoy, what is the easiest way to bring to the fore one's inner fortitude?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the easiest way to bring forward one's inner strength is to feel that one is a chosen son of God.

95. Frugality

Chinmoy, do you approve of frugality in the spiritual life?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, I do not. A disproportionate sense of economy is worse than the worst in the spiritual life.

96. Garrulous

Chinmoy, I must say that you are a garrulous Guru.

Chinmoy:

Madal, I must say that you are not even an inch away from the truth when you say that I am a talkative Guru. I must admire your great discovery.

97. Germane

Chinmoy, what you say is quite inspiring, but can it in any way be germane to the life of a born doubter like me?

Chinmoy:

Madal, O born doubter, my words will be most helpful and fruitful when you relate them to your cherished treasure, doubt.

98. Harbinger

Chinmoy, how I wish to be the harbinger of light into the world-atmosphere.

Chinmoy:

Easy, Madal, just live in the heart, listen to the soul. Lo, you become the forerunner of light.

99. Heterogeneous

Chinmoy, I have friends of a most heterogeneous kind. What kind of friends do you have? And how many?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God bless you. Your friends are varied and numberless. But I have only one friend, the Eternal Pilot Supreme.

100. Ignominious

Chinmoy, out of unavoidable necessity I do many ignominious things. I am so helpless and hopeless.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are neither helpless nor hopeless. You can easily avoid doing anything that is shameful. Just try, you will succeed.

101. Ineluctable

Chinmoy, is anything on earth ineluctable?

Chinmoy:

Madal, two things are certain on earth: God's Compassion and God's Patience.

102. Imbroglio

Chinmoy, alas, when will my mind be free from teeming imbroglio?

Chinmoy:

Madal, your mind will be free from all confusion the day you can think that God always thinks of you, meditates on you and loves you unconditionally

103. Impecunious

Chinmoy, is it possible for a man to be impecunious in his inner life, but rich and prosperous in his outer life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is quite possible. As a matter of fact, there are many on earth who are poor in their inner lives, but in their outer lives they just wallow in the pleasures of riches.

104. Inadvertently

Chinmoy, what shall I do when people inadvertently offend me?

Chinmoy:

Madal, my simple suggestion to you is that when any man offends you unintentionally, forgive him. And when any man speaks ill of you intentionally, you try to perfect him if you can.

105. Inane

Chinmoy, is it not inane to think that God loves even an atheist?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you think that it is silly and it makes no sense to think that God loves even an atheist. But I wish to tell you that even a stark atheist can never escape the boundaries of God's Love. Never.

106. Incarcerate

Chinmoy, when we speak ill of God, do the Cosmic Forces incarcerate our inner beings and inhibit their spiritual freedom?

Chinmoy:

Madal, when we speak ill of God, the Cosmic Forces do not imprison our inner being. On the contrary, when we speak ill of God, we imprison God in the prison cell of ceaseless ignorance.

107. Incongruous

Chinmoy, my life is short but my desires are as long as an endless train. My life and my desires are like an incongruous pair.

Chinmoy:

Madal, don't worry. You feel that your life and your desires are not suitable for each other. As your aspiration is long, so also you can make your life long, if so is the Will of God. The Will of God will always do what is best for you.

108. Indigent

Chinmoy, when will India be free from being an indigent country?

Chinmoy:

Madal, India will and can be free from being a poverty-stricken country only at the choice hour. Perhaps that hour is fast approaching.

109. Injunction

Chinmoy, I live in a hostile neighbourhood. There people flatly defy injunctions which come from the city authorities.

Chinmoy:

Madal, if your neighbours defy court orders, then you can go to the inner Supreme Court. I am sure the Supreme Justice of the inner court will listen to your plea. Just try it once.

110. Insipid

Chinmoy, what makes our human life so insipid?

Chinmoy:

Madal, needless to say, it is the unawareness of God's presence in all our activities that makes our life dull, uninteresting and uninspiring.

111. Intransigent

Chinmoy, alas, I have an intransigent vital.

Chinmoy:

Madal, don't feel sad. Aspire more devotedly, more soulfully and more unconditionally. Then you won't have to suffer from your stubborn and resisting nature. One thing I must tell you: you have a most sincere heart.

112. Intrepid

Chinmoy, be frank with me, please. Among your disciples, who are more intrepid, the boys or the girls?

Chinmoy:

Madal, rest assured, I am not a stranger to frankness. When it is a matter of conquering the depression-dragon, my boy disciples are braver and more fearless than my girl-disciples, but when it is a matter of surrendering to my divine will quickly and cheerfully, my girl disciples are stronger than my boy disciples.

113. Jocose

Chinmoy, I wish to be a circus clown, so that I can always see the disciples' moods become jocose.

Chinmoy:

Madal, a circus clown is jolly and cheerful and playful in public, but in private his life may swim in the sea of tears. If you really want to be jolly, cheerful and playful, then think and feel that you are only four years old, and not 40.

114. Judicious

Chinmoy, is it judicious on my part not to sleep at all and to meditate all day and night so that I can realise God in a few months time.

Chinmoy:

Madal, be _wise_; don't be a fool. At the present state of your spiritual development your body needs at least seven hours of sleep. If you deny the body its legitimate demands, then long before you reach God, death will reach you and spread his arms around you.

115. Juncture

Chinmoy, how is it that there are some people on earth who cannot think of God even at the most crucial juncture of their existence — when they leave this shore for the Other Shore?

Chinmoy:

Madal, they cannot think of God at a critical moment because their ignorance makes them feel that God is a stranger.

116. Ken

Chinmoy, please be sincere, what is beyond your ken?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I am totally sincere. Man's feeling of unworthiness is beyond my field of knowledge.

117. Laconic

Chinmoy, sometimes your answers to spiritual questions are laconic and sometimes they are not. Why is it so?

Chinmoy:

Madal, usually when the audience is very receptive, my answers are not brief at all. It depends on the magnetic pull of the questioner — that is to say, the sincere necessity of the questioner. If the questioner is sincere and the audience is receptive, my answer can never be brief, for God has kindly given me a few most delicious fruits to share with them. These fruits are peace, light and bliss.

118. Lugubrious

Chinmoy, there are some spiritual masters who constantly think of, and talk about, their ex-disciples. Is it not a lugubrious attitude on their part?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is true that it is ridiculously sad and painful on the part of the spiritual Masters when they think of their ex-disciples. One thing you do not know, and perhaps you will never know, is that the souls of the so-called ex-disciples do not and cannot leave the Master so easily, and that is why the sincere concern and compassion of the masters extends to their ex-disciples.

119. Magnanimity

Chinmoy, how can I have a heart of magnanimity? At times I am so mean.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can have a heart of generosity and nobility if you consciously join yourself with God's Heart and feel that His infinite children are all your children.

120. Maudlin

Chinmoy, do you subscribe to the common view that women are always maudlin?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, I don't. Women are not over-emotional. They are not over-sentimental. To me a women is insecurity incarnate, and a man is impurity incarnate.

121. Mellifluous

Chinmoy, I shall be extremely happy if you can learn how to play on the flute. Your harmonium does not have mellifluous tones at all.

Chinmoy:

Madal, I don't disagree with you. True, my harmonium does not offer any sweetly flowing tones, but it has been my most faithful friend. I don't want to have a new friend at this old age. My childhood friend is dearer than the dearest and sweeter than the sweetest.

122. Miscreant

Chinmoy, I have a friend. He is nothing but a miscreant. How can I get rid of him?

Chinmoy:

Madal, since he is your friend, you can ask the evil-doer friend to meditate on God daily at least for four hours. Hearing your advice, he himself will leave you.

123. Moribund

Chinmoy, do you concur with me when I say that all religions are moribund?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I do not agree with you. Religions and the leaders of all religions are quite alive. It is our human faith in religion that is dying, and we shall before long see the result of this deplorable state. But Yoga will come to the rescue of all people, whether they have faith in religion or not. Yoga will show them a most significant road that will lead them directly to God-Realisation even if they do not care for any specific religion or even for religion itself at all.

124. Mulct

Chinmoy, very often I am mulcted by friends. What shall I do with such friends?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the friends that cheat you can never be your friends. There is and there can be only one friend and that friend is God.

125. Niggardly

Chinmoy, can a niggardly disciple be liked by you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, certainly a stingy disciple can be well liked by me if he has some good and divine qualities apart from this one bad quality.

126. Nomad

Chinmoy, some of the Indian swamis act like nomads. Do you approve of their acts?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are right. Some of the Indian swamis move around the world like constant wanderers. But who am I to approve or disapprove of their conduct? I can only say that I shall never sail in their boat.

127. Nugatory

Chinmoy, is there anything on earth which is always nugatory?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, there is one thing. Human jealousy is always worthless and fruitless.

128. Obdurate

Chinmoy, who gave me this obdurate vital?

Chinmoy:

Madal, nobody gave you an obstinate vital. It was you who wanted it from the ocean of ignorance. Again it is you who can get rid of it if you just jump into the ocean of light.

129. Objurgatory

Chinmoy, do you ever use an objurgatory voice when you deal with your spiritual children?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, I do. To tell you the truth, my spiritual children are so fond of me that they don't mind my rebuking voice and my imperious nature. I am trying hard to be more loving and more sympathetic. I am most anxiously waiting for God to say, "Amen".

130. Opprobrious

Chinmoy, is it not an opprobrious situation when one does not have even an iota of peace?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is a shameful situation only when one is deceitful, and not when he is wanting in peace. Peace is a divine wealth. We get it when we inwardly cry for it.

131. Obstreperous

Chinmoy, it is said that God is extremely fond of children. To me, all children are but obstreperous, hence I literally hate them. Do you care for children?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I do care for children. I like them, I love them, I adore them. You hate unruly children, and my budding disciples hate their unruly thoughts. So you and my disciples can be in the same boat sailing towards the destination — nowhere.

132. Onerous

Chinmoy, why do I feel my life as an onerous burden?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you feel your life as a troublesome burden because you do not appreciate the beauty of duty and the greatness of responsibility.

133. Ostentatious

Chinmoy, what do you do with your ostentatious disciples?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I love my disciples who show off, and I bless them and try to perfect them.

134. Paragon

Chinmoy, in our inner life, faith is the paragon of beauty. What is the paragon of beauty in our outer nature?

Chinmoy:

Madal, in our outer nature purity is the perfect model of beauty.

135. Parsimonious

Chinmoy, in your inner life you are most generous. I am glad that you are not parsimonious in your outer life either.

Chinmoy:

Madal, God has not given me the penny-pinching attitude for He knows well that, if I cherish that kind of attitude, my disciples will be totally embarrassed and disheartened.

136. Peccadillo

Chinmoy, do you ever consider your disciples' peccadillos as your own peccadillos?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, I do, I shall do, I shall always do, for their faults are, after all, my own extended consciousness.

137. Peremptory

Chinmoy, does God use the peremptory tone of voice when He deals with the hostile forces?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, He does. He uses most powerfully His commanding tone of voice when He deals with the hostile forces, for that is the only way He can silence them and transform them.

138. Perfidious

Chinmoy, tell me who or what is most perfidious in our human nature?

Chinmoy:

Madal, self-doubt is the most traitorous and treacherous thing in our human nature.

139. Perfunctory

Chinmoy, every day, being very busy, I meditate for fifteen minutes in a rather perfunctory manner. I wonder if my soul forgives me?

Chinmoy:

Madal, your soul will forgive you, but a day will come when you will not be able to forgive yourself. If you meditate in a mechanical and soulless way, your God-Realisation will always remain a far cry.

140. Periphery

Chinmoy, what do you do with your disciples who are on the periphery of your spiritual circle?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I try to give those unfortunate disciples inner capacity and outer opportunity so that they do not remain on the boundary but enter into and become members of my inner circle.

141. Peroration

Chinmoy, what is the peroration of your advice as regards the perfect perfection of human nature?

Chinmoy:

Madal, with regard to the perfect perfection of human nature, my conclusion is very simple: it is destined, it is decreed, only the hour has to strike.

142. Perspicuity

Chinmoy, I wish to be a great poet. I need some perspicuity in my imagination. How can I succeed?

Chinmoy:

Madal, just knock soulfully at the door of aspiration. Once the door of aspiration is opened up, you will find clarity and insight in your imagination and fulfilment in in your poetic manifestation.

143. Pithy

Chinmoy, please give me a bit of pithy advice.

Chinmoy:

Madal, here is my advice, short but yet full of meaning: "Love God, serve man."

144. Placid

Chinmoy, my mind and confusion are intimate friends. Will I ever have a placid mind in this life time?

Chinmoy:

Madal, don't speak like a fool. You will, before long, have a calm and still mind. You life of illumination is fast approaching.

145. Platonic

Chinmoy, is it possible for an ordinary man to believe in platonic love?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if an ordinary man aspires and leads a pure life, then I don't see any reason why he cannot have non-sensual and spiritual love.

146. Plethora

Chinmoy, today's America enjoys a plethora of material wealth. Can you tell me, Chinmoy, what will be their fate tomorrow?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I clearly foresee their future fate. They will also enjoy an abundance, an over-supply of spiritual wealth.

147. Polemic

Chinmoy, my intellectual mind likes philosophical polemic. Do you also have the same type of mind?

Chinmoy:

Madal, unfortunately God has not blessed me with an intellectual mind. I really find it most difficult to appreciate any controversy or mental debate. Simplicity satisfies my heart. My heart tries to satisfy God without the aid of the mind. Who knows, one day perhaps my heart will really and truly satisfy God.

148. Poltroon

Chinmoy, who is the better of the two? An aggressive friend or a friend who is a shameless poltroon?

Chinmoy:

Madal, to me an aggressive friend and an idle coward belong to the same boat. I warn you not to have any connection with either of the two.

149. Potpourri

Chinmoy, it seems to me that the human life is a potpourri of fear, doubt, anxiety, worry, depression and frustration.

Chinmoy:

Madal, it seems to me that the human life is a mixture of opportunity, progress and achievement.

150. Pragmatic

Chinmoy, does God forgive the spiritual masters who are not at all pragmatic?

Chinmoy:

Madal, God does forgive the spiritual masters who are not practical. If you want any proof, then in me you will find radiant proof.

151. Preponderates

Chinmoy, it seems to me that I have a few divine qualities. Please tell me, according to you, which quality in me preponderates?

Chinmoy:

Madal, your true loving surrender to God's Will is the strongest of all your divine qualities.

152. Pristine

Chinmoy, is there anything on earth that can last forever in its pristine beauty?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, our soulful gratitude to God can forever remain unspoiled, clean, clear and fresh.

153. Procrastinate

Chinmoy, why do some spiritual masters procrastinate? Why do they not give everything away immediately to their disciples?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are wrong. The spiritual masters do not delay in offering their inner wealth to their disciples, but it is the lack of the disciples' receptivity and their unconscious unwillingness that are responsible for the sad delay on the part of the spiritual masters.

154. Prognosticate

Chinmoy, please prognosticate my future. I shall be eternally grateful to you.

Chinmoy:

Madal, I predict your future. You are bound to realise God in this incarnation.

155. Propinquity

Chinmoy, is physical propinquity to one's Guru a blessing or misfortune?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if the disciple uses his nearness to his Guru properly, then it is a stupendous blessing; if nearness is not properly used, then it is a veritable misfortune, the beginning of downfall through jealousy, vanity, doubt and insecurity.

156. Protean

Chinmoy, is it true that a Yogi can assume protean forms? Is it true that he can even assume the form of an animal?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, a Yogi can do that. He can take any form he wants to. But you have to know that only a third class Yogi enjoys assuming the form of an animal, whereas a real Yogi, the first class Yogi, enjoys the divine life in a human body.

157. Pulchritude

Chinmoy, is pulchritude detrimental to one's spiritual progress?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is not physical beauty that is harmful to one's spiritual progress, but it is physical impurity that is harmful to one's spiritual progress.

158. Quandary

Chinmoy, I am in a quandary about whether to serve mankind or realise God.

Chinmoy:

Madal, do both. You don't have to remain in a puzzling uncertainty. While realising God you can serve mankind, and while serving mankind you can realise God. You can have both experiences at one and the same time.

159. Recant

Chinmoy, before I entered into the spiritual life, I thought that my life was a painful dream. But now I have recanted that belief and unmistakably feel that my life is an experience of God.

Chinmoy:

Madal, I am glad that you have given up your old idea. Your life is not only an experience of God, but a conscious manifestation of God.

160. Regressive

Chinmoy, very often a seeker's mind is regressive, in spite of his heart being progressive. Is the seeker responsible for that?

Chinmoy:

Madal, to some extent he is. His mind is going backwards because consciously or unconsciously he is cherishing doubt and jealousy. His heart is going forwards because consciously he is aspiring to increase divine love and divine dedication in his nature.

161. Restive

Chinmoy, when I come to you, my restive nature disappears. Therefore I am so grateful to you.

Chinmoy:

Madal, when you look at me your restless and nervous nature disappears. I am glad to hear that. Now I wish to tell you that when I look at you my childlike nature appears. And for that I am most grateful to you.

162. Sagacity

Chinmoy, I want to know from you what the sagacity of life is and what the sagacity of death is

Chinmoy:

Madal, the wisdom of death is the soul's rest and preparation. The wisdom of life is the soul's aspiration and perfection.

163. Salacious

Chinmoy, should teenagers read salacious novels?

Chinmoy:

Madal, not to speak of teenagers, even parents should not read lustful novels, if they really want their children to lead a pure and divine life on earth.

164. Sanguine

Chinmoy, how can I be always sanguine?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can be always hopeful and cheerful if you allow God's Will to replace your countless desires

165. Sapient

Chinmoy, how I wish to be a sapient helper of mankind.

Chinmoy:

Madal, O how I wish to be a wise servant of man.

166. Saturnine

Chinmoy, can a saturnine man progress as fast as a cheerful man in the spiritual life?

Chinmoy:

No, Madal, never. A morose, depressed and grave man can never progress as fast as does a cheerful and happy man.

167. Sententious

Chinmoy, how can I know if a man is merely sententious or if he is a man of inner wisdom?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is very easy to know. A man full of old sayings and maxims will surprise your curious mind. A man full of inner wisdom will feed your hungry heart.

168. Signification

Chinmoy, what is the spiritual signification of love?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the spiritual meaning of love is an unconditional self-giving to God's Will.

169. Somnolent

Chinmoy, I always feel somnolent when I try to meditate at night, say around 11 o'clock.

Chinmoy:

Madal, in that case you should try to meditate early in the evening, say, around 8 o'clock. Then you will not feel drowsy. Be clever.

170. Splenetic

Chinmoy, what shall I do when I feel rather splenetic?

Chinmoy:

Madal, when you are bitter and irritable, just throw your bitterness and irritation into their source: ignorance; and then you throw yourself into your Source: Light.

171. Spurious

Chinmoy, how long can a spurious master deceive his disciples?

Chinmoy:

Madal, a false master can deceive his disciples as long as God tolerates him and his disciples do not leave or batter him.

172. Stoic

Chinmoy, how can I always be stoic?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can always be brave, courageous and calm, if you don't expect anything from the world whatsoever.

173. Succour

Chinmoy, it is very strange that when I bring succour to the needy, they immediately misunderstand me.

Chinmoy:

Madal, when you devotedly bring relief to the needy, they may misunderstand you. But rest assured that God will shower His choicest Blessings upon your devoted head.

174. Supercilious

Chinmoy, my aunt is unthinkably supercilious, but my uncle is extremely simple and kind. Is there anything that I can do for her?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if your aunt is snobbish and vain to the extreme, and your uncle has a divine nature, then she and her husband have formed a good combination! My personal feeling is that you should pay more attention to perfecting your own nature and let God take care of your brilliant aunt.

175. Sybarites

Chinmoy, I think all Americans are sybarites. How do you live with them?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I am sorry. The world will call you a great fool, unless you immediately change your opinion. All Americans are NOT lovers of luxury. Far from it. And even if they are so, they deserve it. They work hard, very hard, unlike us lazy Indians.

176. Sycophant

Chinmoy, do you have any sycophants in your spiritual community?

Chinmoy:

Madal, unfortunately I had a few flatterers. But in course of time they came to realise that their flattery does not pay at all. Now to my great joy and utter pride, they have totally given up their profession.

177. Synthesis

Chinmoy, I wish my life to be a synthesis of devotion and action.

Chinmoy:

Madal, I wish my life to remain a combination of constant surrender to God's Will and cheerful oneness with mankind.

178. Ribald

Chinmoy, I am sorry to tell you that some of the Indian spiritual masters enjoy ribald jokes. Needless to say, you do not sail in the same boat.

Chinmoy:

Madal, thank you for your kind compliment. It is true that I do not indulge in coarse and vulgar jokes, but I do indulge in sports, especially athletics.

179. Tacit

Chinmoy, how I wish that between God and me, there existed the tacit knowledge that I am His dearest son.

Chinmoy:

Meditate, dearest Madal, then like me, you will have an unexpressed but understood feeling that you are His dearest Son.

180. Tenuous

Chinmoy, although their arguments are very tenuous, some disciples argue with their masters. What about your fate?

Chinmoy:

Madal, my fate is great. My disciples are fully conscious of their thin, flimsy and weak arguments. Further, they are wise enough to know that their devoted surrender to my knowledge, will and dispensation will lead them much faster to their Goal than their argument, no matter how strong it is.

181. Turgid

Chinmoy, in this incarnation I wish to be a poet. In my next incarnation I would like to be a lecturer and use turgid words in order to draw appreciation and admiration from the audience.

Chinmoy:

Madal, first of all don't be so concerned about your next incarnation. I don't even think of tomorrow — tomorrow can and will take care of itself. O great future lecturer, your big and bombastic words will not draw any appreciation and admiration from your audience. Your audience will embrace you with roaring laughter and a snoring concert.

182. Tutelage

Chinmoy, I was told that the Americans want freedom from everything and they want freedom in everything they do. In that case, I wonder how so many Americans, especially the teenagers, stay under your tutelage.

Chinmoy:

Madal, my American students know perfectly well what earthly freedom is. Now what they are discovering from within is the heavenly freedom under my concerned instruction.

183. Tyro

Chinmoy, do you have any special concern for a tyro at your Centre?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I have special concern for all, whether he is a beginner or an advanced seeker.

184. Ubiquitous

Chinmoy, if God is omnipresent how it is that His Love is not ubiquitous?

Chinmoy:

My God is everywhere, His Love is everywhere, but unfortunately we deny His Presence and suspect His Love.

185. Unctuous

Chinmoy, do you have any disciple whose unctuous manners bother you?

Chinmoy:

Madal, to my deepest sorrow, I have more than one. The oily and flattering manners of those particular disciples torture my heart, but I must say that they are improving. Simplicity, sincerity and spontaneity are slowly invading them!

186. Upbraid

Chinmoy, do you get joy when you upbraid your disciples?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I don't get any joy whatsoever when I scold my disciples. I scold them because their inner divinity commands me to do so for their perfection.

187. Urbane

Chinmoy, does your spirituality demand urbane manners?

Chinmoy:

Madal, certainly, my spirituality demands courteous and civil manners.

188. Uxorious

Chinmoy, do you think that it is possible, even among the sincere seekers, there are some men who are nothing but uxorious?

Chinmoy:

Madal, it is not only possible, but a glaring reality, that there are seekers on earth who are foolishly and excessively devoted to their wives.

189. Vagaries

Chinmoy, how can I be free totally from the vagaries of my mind?

Chinmoy:

Madal, you can be totally free from the whims of your mind, if you can constantly feel that you are the child of your heart and that your heart is the child of love-light.

190. Vapid

Chinmoy, like some illustrious philosophers, do you not think the earth is a vapid shore?

Chinmoy:

Madal, I do not agree with those great philosophers. If you look at the world with your own eyes and in your own way, then the world is undoubtedly an empty shore But if you look at the world with God's Eyes and in God's Way, then in no time you will come to realise that the ever-fulfilling world is the Reality of the ever-growing Divinity.

191. Vegetate

Chinmoy, my uncle always stays home and vegetates. Is there anything that I can do for the poor man?

Chinmoy:

Yes, Madal, you can. After your daily prayers and meditation you should go and talk to your uncle for ten minutes at least. He will get much inspiration from you and then he will give up leading an unthinking and useless life.

192. Venial

Chinmoy, is there anything that is not venial?

Chinmoy:

Madal, self-indulgence is not pardonable.

193. Veracity

Chinmoy, what is the difference between veracity and mendacity?

Chinmoy:

Madal, the difference between truth and falsehood is very simple. Truth is something that you really are. Falsehood is something that you never are.

194. Verbotten

Chinmoy, what is totally verboten in your philosophy?

Chinmoy:

Madal, in my philosophy self-doubt is totally forbidden.

195. Verity

Chinmoy, in verity, human life is a frustration-boat heading towards destruction-rock.

Chinmoy:

Madal, in truth, human life is God's Dream-boat sailing towards the Golden Shore of Perfection.

196. Vicissitudes

Chinmoy, since I started practicing yoga, the vicissitudes in my outer life have taken a rather drastic form.

Chinmoy:

But, Madal, I must also add that the changes in your inner life are most fulfilling.

197. Vindictive

Chinmoy, can a spiritual master tolerate a disciple who is extremely vindictive in his outer life?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if a spiritual master has consciously accepted a mean and spiteful disciple, then he has the capacity to tolerate that particular disciple. Moreover the master has the capacity to transform the disciple's nature.

198. Vociferous

Chinmoy, I have a friend whose son is vociferous in his absurd statements with regard to the spiritual life. Please tell me, Chinmoy, if my poor friend can do something to change his son's attitude?

Chinmoy:

Madal, if your friend's son is excessively loud and emphatic in his silly statements as regards the spiritual life, then tell your friend that he has to be either more compassionate or more forceful in dealing with his son. One of the two medicines will surely bring peace to your friend.

199. Voluptuous

Chinmoy, am I right in thinking that spirituality means that one has to totally give up the voluptuous life?

Chinmoy:

No, spirituality means the transformation of the sensual, pleasure-loving and pleasure-giving life into purity's flood.

200. Wry

Chinmoy, it seems to me that sometimes you enjoy wry humour.

Chinmoy:

Madal, you are perfectly right. It is my sense of indirect humour that has still kept my sanity.